Askrikefjärden till we hit ice

After a beautiful and sunny but freezing week that ended in snow - a gray weekend. So we went paddling. After a late start due to it being the first day of daylights savings time, we drove out to Fågelöudde at Lidingö.




Followed the coastline west and passed Södergarn, Bosön and Grönsta. Passed occasional ice bergs, but saw no ice bears.


Rounded Storholmen, one of the more isolated parts of Stockholm as there is no land connection.


Had lunch on a small nature reserve island.


Went north now, but hit ice, the northern part of Stora Värtan is still frozen over. Felt like explores of the North Pole.


Returned following Bogesundslandet and just avoided a very low flying plane. Missed taking a picture.

Around Runmarö♠

March 15, season premiere, Temperatures around the freezing point. Lakes still frozen over, but the archipelago is open. Drove out to Stavsnäs, Forgot the warm socks this time, but the thin ones worked fine inside the dry suit and neoprene boots.



The archipelago is quiet and nice this time of year, but we were not alone, met a group of eight kayaks and saw a couple of others in the distance. Also saw a sailboat and a number of ferries and taxi boats.



When I worried about the length of the trip and my shape, Peter promised he did this tour in three hours last summer. Proved it took us 4,5 today - but then we took our time and also experimented with underwater photography (unsuccessfully).



On the east side of Runmarö, a few low, rocky, islands and then the open sea.





Found a great, but late, spot for lunch here at Söderby.







The Runmarö channel could not be passed due to remaining ice, so we did the complete round trip.



Returned to Stavsnäs in a "Spring" drizzle, Cold, but we are well dressed.

Kanaan on Christmas Day

Christmas day, perfectly suited for a kayak trip! There weren't that many of us around this day, but in our small boat house a third enthusiast turned up (although no picture of him). The sandy beach was frozen hard as concrete.


Temperature was just below the freezing point.


Water on spray deck, PFD and clothes frooze.


Yep, that's ice (very thin).








Took a short stop at the Kanaan beach. Had to break through some thin ice to reach it. Passers by generally did not expect kayakers at this time of year. One guy, seemingly less surprised, asked us for an Eskimo roll demonstration... We were not up to it.




Returned passing the Royal palace at Drottningholm in fog.




The only other kayakers we saw this day.

Skanstull or Darkness at the Edge of Twon

We've talked about it for ages, but now was the time. Paddling in the dusk. As the sun sets around 4 pm at this time of year, we started around 3.




It got darker faster than we had thought. Here we are about half way to Skanstull, with Hornstulls Strand to the left.


Passing under the railway bridge.


Spooky and pitch dark at the turning point. But with headlamps and a flashing tail light we had no fears. Photography was more difficult (as so well shown with these masterworks).


Yeah, that's right, the railway bridge again. Knew you would recognize it in the dark.


Where am I?


Passing the new apartment complex at Lilla Essingen.


As long as we paddled in the city, there was really no problem to see were we were going.


But on returning to Bromma, it was really dark. Passing by Stora Essingen on the east side we almost hit a pier. Don't know who was most surprised, us or a lady smoking and chatting in her cell at the pier.

Riddarfjärden in November

We're not going to give up this year, Peter L and I.


It's a gray day, but we don't care. Here moving towards the Tranebergs bridge (in the background).


The new Snap Dragon Hyperhand poogies (the blue glove attached to the paddle) are great. Easy to slide into after a snapshot or snack and keeps you warm, a bit too warm perhaps in this temperature (a few on the positive side of zero Celcius). Thanks Jukka at Sea Kayaking Finland, the only vendor in Scandinavia I found.


Into the Karlberg channel.


Söder Mälarstrand.


The Långholmen channel.


That's was it.

Saltsjöbaden, Back and Forth

Wanted try something other than the usual lake Mälaren day trips, so Peter L and I went out to Saltsjöbaden. Upon getting ready to launch found I had the wrong spray deck with me. So Peter took a solo paddle for an hour before I was back, appropriately equipped.




We paddled north of Älgö and around Gåsön. Windy and some sea, but great.


Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden